National Day is around the corner, so I thought I’d reflect on the refrain of one of my favourite songs — We Are Singapore, based on the recent Singapore Angle Consumer vs Citizen debate.
The Citizens’ Version (pretty boring, straightforward stuff)
This is my country
This is my flag
This is my future
This is my life
This is my family
These are my friends
We are Singapore
Singaporeans
The Consumers’ Version (somewhat livelier and more interesting, I hope!)
This is my HDB
This is my rag
This is my CPF
This is my job
This is my necessary baggage
These are the Lims/Ahmads/Samis I must keep up with to keep the wife & relatives happy (I can’t believe Ah Tan just bought a new car, must have struck Toto or something, darn…)
We are second-class
Citizens-in-name…
Which of these two versions brings a wry smile to your face? And how is this so? I’m not seeking to demolish anyone’s sense of nationalism; I honestly do like this song. My point is simple: it is perhaps easier to laugh and dismiss well-intentioned efforts at nation-building as acts of futility, than pondering on those intentions, and acting upon them accordingly.
While entertainment has its role in providing relief from the realities of life, its value is rapidly consumed; what remains is somewhat limited in utility. However, genuine citizenship can be seen as a function of the extent of one’s sense of belonging to one’s nation. Let’s get back to basics, and deal with the simple yet profound exhortation of the citizenship version. Boring though it may be, it is precisely the individual citizen’s sustained commitment to nation-building fundamentals that make the ultimate difference to the future of the nation.
Happy Birthday Singapore 
